Train-operated electric switch



May 18 1926.

J. K. \NEST TRAIN OPERATED ELECTR IC SWITCH Original Filed May 11,

INVENTOR J. K. West ATTORNEYS WITNESSES Patented May 18, 1926.

UNITED JOHN K. WEST, 013 DETROIT, MINNESOTA.

TRAIN-OPERATED ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Original application filed May 11, 1925, Serial No. 29,527.

This application is a divisional part of my prior application for patent for protective devices for railway crossings, Serial #29,- 527, filed May 11, 1925.

The present invention relates more par.- ticularly to improvements in train operated electric switches, and contemplates the provision of a unit which is adapted tobe as? sociated with a track rail and which embodies in compact form a simple, reliable and efficient electric switch and an operating mechanism for the switch, the operating mechanism being adapted to be actuated by the flange of a car wheel on the track rail.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, showing in vertical section a portion of a railway track bed and showing in elevation portions of a track rail and a switch mechanism embodying the invention in association with the track rail,

Figure 2 is a vertical section substantially along the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical. section similar to Figure 2, showing a second form of switch embodying the same invention as the switch that is exhibited in the preceding views. I

In carrying out the invention, I make use of a box-like switch casing 1 which is em bedded in a track bed 2 so that a portion of the base flange 3 of a track rail 4 extends through the upper part of the casing 1. A

' guide block 5 is secured by fastening devices, such as indicated at 6, to the web of the rail 4: above the top of the casing 1, the guide block 5 preferably resting on the top of the casing 1, as best seen in Figure 2. A vertically movable actuating rod or bar 7 extends through vertically aligned openings 8, 9 and 10 in the guide block 5, the top of the casing 1, and a portion of the base flange 3 of the track rail, respectively.

The upper end portion of the actuating rod 7 extends at one side of the head of the rail nearly to the level of the top "face of the latter when a vertically swingable arm 11 on Which the lower end of the actuating rod rests is substantially horizontal, as illustrated to advantage in Figure 2. The arm 11 is disposed within the casing 1 and is supported at one end on a horizontal pivot Divided and. this application filed October Serial No. 63,0?6.

element 12. The arm 11 is attached adjacent to its other end by a horizontal pivot element 13 to the upper end portion of a rod 14 which extends slidably through a central opening in the head 15 of a cylinder 16. The rod 1 1 is secured at its lower end to a piston 17 which is reciprocable in the cylinder 16. The cylinder 16 is provided with a depending car 18 at the lower end thereof, which is attached by means of a horizontal pivot element 19 to the casing 1 near the bottom of the latter so that the cylinder 16 is capable of limited swinging movement about the axis of the pivot element 19. The axis of the pivot element 19 is parallel to the axes of the pivot elements 12 and 13. An expansion spring 20 surrounds the rod 1 1 between the head of the cylinder and the arm 11, the spring 20 will yicldingly resist down ward swinging movement of the arm 11 from the position shown in the drawings and thus will cooperate with the horizontal pivot element 12 to maintain the arm 11 hori zontal. The piston 17 may be formed with one or more vertical openings as indicated at 21 and each of these openings may be controlled'byan upwardly opening check vave.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the free end of the arm 11 rests on the free'end portion of a normally horizontal elongated spring contact 22. The spring contact 22 is supported on a vertical wall of the switch casing 1. An elongated stationary contact 23 is supported at one end on said vertical wall oi the switch casing 1 directly beneath the spring Contact 22 and extends within the switch casing in spaced parallel relation to the spring contact 22.

The contacts 22 and 23 in actual practice will be connected with electrical conductors 2 and 25, respectively, which may comprise parts of an electric circuit, not fully shown, for effecting any desirable result.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be understood. The inherent resiliency of the spring contact 22 tends to keep it out of contact with the contact mem ber 23. The rim flange of a wheel moving on the rail will strike the upper end of the actuating rod 7, which is rounded as shown at 26, and will force the actuating rod 7 downward in the guide openings 8 910. This downward movement of the actuating rod 7 will cause downward. swinging movement of the arm 11 and downward movement of the piston 17 in the cylinder 16. Also, the downward swinging movement of the arm 11 will cause the free end of a contact 92 to be forced downward against the corresponding end portion of the contact 23 whereby an electric circuit may be closed. The spring, 20 will tend to return the arm 11 to horizontal position but the piston 17 will move slowly in the cylinder 16 since the check valve which controls each of the openings 21 will be closed duringthe upward movement of the piston and the upward swinging movement of the arm 11 toward horizontal position therefore will be relatively slow. Therefore, the first wheel of a train which traverses the track and moves on the rail t will force the actuating rod 7 downward and since the return movement of the arm 11 will be relatively slow, the actuating rod 27 will not be returned to raised position with suliicient rapidity to cause actuation thereof very many times by ditferent wheels during,- the passage of a train of considerable length along the track. In Figure 3, I show a normally closed switch which differs from the switch shown in Figures 1 and 2 only in certain details which will now be pointed The switch illustrated in Figure 3 is operated by a mechanism identical with that which has been described in the foregoing provided to operate the switch that is eX- hibited in Figures 1 and 2. The same reference characters therefore have been used to designate like parts throughout the several \iews of the drawings.

The switch exhibited in Figure 3 includes an elongated stationary contact member 30 which extends from the vertical wall of the casino 1 toward the tree end 01 the arm 11 but terminates short of the latter. An elongated spring contact member 31 extends from the same vertical wall of the casing 1 underneath the stationary contact 30 and the free end of the spring contact member 31 terminates underneath the free end portion of the arm 11 in contact with the latter. The inherent resiliency of the spring contact member 31 tends to maintain the latter in contact with the free end portion of the stationary contact 30. The fixed ends of the contacts 30 and 31 are spaced vertically and it is obvious that the downward swinging movement of the tree end portion of the arms 11 will cause the spring contact member 31 to he swung out of contact with the stationary contact 30. The contactmembers 30 and 31 may be connected with electrical conductors 32 and 33, respectively, and an electric circuit of which the conductors 32 and 33 form parts will be opened when the spring contact member 31 is moved downward away from the stationary contact 30.

Obviously, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than those which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing and l theretcre consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly tall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a device of the character described, a switch comprising a case, a verticallyswingable arm supported in said case, spring; means tending to hold said arm substantially horizontal, an actuating rod having guided movement and adapted to be actuated by the flange of a wheel traversing the track rail. adjacent to said case for swingingsaid arm downward, and a pair of contacts associated with said arm, one of said contacts being adapted to be engaged by said arm and to be moved relatively to the other contact on the downward movement of said arm, a cylinder positioned below said arm, a piston connected with said arm to move with the latter in said cylinder, said piston having a vertical opening therein, and an upwardly opening check valve for control.- ling the said opening in the piston.

' JOHN K. EST. 

